2 Corinthians 4:7

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We must always model that we are flesh, and not excellent, least those that follow worship us and not the creator.

Sadly too many of us are trying to convince those who follow that it is us who are excellent and not God.

We are earth, He is excellent.

LM


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The church

The church has always been under attack. So, when people criticize it, or you see its short comings, don’t panic.

That the church has survived the attacks from its enemies and the failings of its own members for two thousand years and is still going strong stands as a remarkable testimony of God’s plan for her.




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The father and the brother

The father and the brother

Luke 15:20-30
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

The first action of the father once he was done embracing his lost son, was to cover his nakedness. The father wanted to remove all trace of where he had been and what he had done.

The brother wanted everyone to know where his brother had been, and began to enumerate the many failures of his brother.

The heart of a father is completely different from that of a brother.

A father covers a transgression, a brother feels the need to broadcast it.
A father went running to make the reunion happen, as quick as possible. The brother sat a long way off and refused to make even one step towards reconciliation.

Don't tell me your a "Father in the gospel", when all your actions are that of the brother.


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Who will cry and sigh for the abominations?

Who will cry and sigh for the abominations?

Ezekiel 9:1-6
Chapter 9
He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

A few points of interest, an angel was to go through out Jerusalem, which is a type of the church, And place a mark upon the heads of those who were upset about the abominations committed with in the city.

In Pentecostal we hear about two abominations:

1. Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

2. Deuteronomy 22:5
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

These are the abominations we mostly preach against. The abominations of the wicked, the unchurched, and the wayward. 

Lying, pride, scheming, cheating, unfairness, calling evil good and good evil, and wrongdoing by those in authority are oft the abominations of the church.

Pro 6:16 - 19
"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. "

Pro 11:1 "A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. "

Pro 16:12 "It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. "

Pro 17:15 "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. "

God wanted the angel to pass through out the city and mark those who were upset by the abominations being committed from within.

He then commanded 6 other angels to pass through the city and destroy all those who did not "sigh and cry for the abominations".


Blind loyalty is blind, and it is damning to your soul.


Hell is full and the road to hell is congested with the souls of men and woman who have been lie on, abused and destroyed by those claiming to be brethren.

There is not one of us who does not know at least one disillusioned former believer who would fit this description.

This is not business as usual, God was wanting to know...
"who will cry and sigh for the abominations".

We need Corporate prayers admitting "We have sinned".

"If any man say he is without sin he is a liar".

We have sinned:
I have sinned.
You have sinned.
Your church has sinned.
Your leadership has sinned.

We are all guilty of shedding innocent blood

We have all been involved in the spreading of discord and slanderous tales.

"Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary"

We preach much about the abominations of the un churched and the wayward. God was angry with the abominations committed in the church.

You may say: " what can I do, I'm not in a place of authority?"
You can cry and sigh!

Here is a complete list of the abominations mentioned in scripture.
1.Unclean things (Lev. 7:21)
2.Customs of pagans (Lev. 18:30)
3.Idols (2 Chr. 15:8; 1 Pet. 4:3)
4.Sins of men (Ps. 14:1; 53:1)
5.Cheating (Mic. 6:10)
6.Lost souls (Rev. 21:8)
7. Any Idolatrous practices (Dt. 12:31; 13:14; 17:4; 18:9; 20:18; 29:17)
8.A froward man (perverse; one who turns aside (Pro. 3:32; 11:20)
9.A proud look (Pro. 6:16-17)
10.A lying tongue (Pro. 6:17; 12:22)
11.Hands that shed innocent blood ((Pro. 6:17)
12.A wicked scheming heart (Pro. 6:18)
13.Feet that are quick to sin (Pro. 6:18)
14.A false witness that speaks lies (Pro. 6:19)
15.A sower of discord (Pro. 6:19)
16.Wickedness (Pro. 8:7)
17.A false balance or scale (Pro. 11:1)
18.Sacrifices of the wicked (Pro. 15:8; 21:27)
19.The way of the wicked (Pro. 15:9)
20.The thoughts of the wicked (Pro. 15:26)
21.The proud of heart (Pro. 16:5)
22.Justifying the wicked (Pro. 17:15)
23.Condemning the just (Pro. 17:15)
24.Divers, dishonest weights (Pro. 20:10, 23)
25.Divers, dishonest measures (Pro. 20:10)
26.Refusing to hear the law (Pro. 28:9)
27.Prayers of the rebel (Pro. 28:9)
28.Eating flesh of peace offerings on the 3rd day (Lev. 7:18)
29.Homosexuality (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Dt. 23:18)
30.Taking ornaments from idols when being destroyed (Dt. 7:25-26)
31.Offering an imperfect animal to God as a sacrifice (Dt. 17:1)
32.Any traffic with demons (Dt. 18:7-12)
33.Wearing clothes of the opposite sex (Dt. 22:5)
34.Bringing the hire of a harlot or sodomite into God's house (Dt. 23:18)
35.Re-marriage of former companions (Dt. 24:1-4)
36.Cheating others (Dt. 25:13-16)
37.Making images/idols (Dt. 27:15)
38.Idols of Ammon (1 Ki. 11:5)
39.Idols of Moab (1 Ki. 11:7; 2 Ki. 11:13)
40.Idols of Zidon (2 Ki. 23:13)
41.Incense offered by hypocrites (Isa. 1:13)
42.Eating unclean things (Isa. 66:17)
43.Offering human sacrifices (Jer. 32:35)
44.Robbery (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
45.Murder (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
46.Adultery (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
47.Oppression of others, particularly the poor or vulnerable (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
48.Violence (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
49.Breaking vows (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
50.Lending with interest to a brother (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
51.Lying with a menstruous woman (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
52.Hardness of heart (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
53.Injustice (Ezek. 18: 6-13)
54.Worship of anti-Christ (Dan. 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; 2 Th. 2:4; Rev. 13)
55.Incest (Lev. 19: 6-30)
56.Things highly esteemed by man (Lk. 16:15)
57.Many other sins of the nations (Lev. 18: 26-29; Dt. 18: 9-12; 20:18; 29:17; 1 Ki. 14:24; 21:2, 11; 23:24; 2 Chr. 28:3; 33:2; 34:33; 36:14; Ezek. 7: 3-20; 8: 6-17; 16: 2-58; 20: 4-30; Rev. 17: 4-5)
58.Love of money(Jeremiah 8:12, Luke 16:15)
60. Dishonest Trade(Proverbs 11:1, Deuteronomy 25:13-16, Proverbs 20:23)

Hell is full and the road to hell is congested with the souls of men and woman who have been lie on ...

This is not the way it is suppose to be.

"Who will cry and sigh for the abominations of the church."


LM
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